Why do the so-called mountain fires keep burning in memory and in memes? How is Igor Nikolaev tied to the song Third of September, a track that even surfaced in Baldur’s Gate 3 memes, and what is his connection to Igor Krutoy? How did Mikhail Shufutinsky spark a meme that was revived thirteen years later in a TV series? The mood today is lighter, yet the curiosity remains, and this piece unpacks those threads.
Briefly about Shufutinsky
Mikhail Zakharovich Shufutinsky was born on April 13, 1948 in Moscow. His father, Zakhar Davidovich Shufutinsky, served as a doctor and was a veteran of the Great Patriotic War. His mother passed away when he was only five, leaving his paternal grandmother to supervise his early education.
Shufutinsky studied at the Moscow Music College named after M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, where he trained as a conductor, choirmaster, and a teacher of music and singing. It is notable that Alla Pugacheva attended classes alongside him.
During the 1970s through the early 1990s, the musician toured across the country and in other regions, including the United States. In 1992 he chose to settle back in Russia. His growing solo output opened doors to collaborations, and the composer Igor Krutoy invited Shufutinsky to sing The Third of September.
Like The Third of September
The creation of the song and its meaning
The lyrics were penned by Igor Nikolaev. Nikolaev and Krutoy shared a close friendship, and the songwriter drew on personal experiences when crafting songs. Whether the September date reflects Krutoy’s personal life remains a matter of speculation rather than a confirmed fact.
What stands out is that Krutoy initially planned to offer the song to another artist. Sensing a potential meme, Shufutinsky urged him to perform it himself. Krutoy did not commit to another singer, so the decision was natural and immediate.
Shufutinsky has repeatedly explained that the number on the date was chosen for alignment with the overall text and carries no deeper subtext.
In 1993 he first performed The Third of September, and a year later the track appeared on his solo album Walk, Soul. Later, Nikolaev recalled that the initial lyrics did not include the line about a Second of September or the moment when everything turned serious.
Shufutinsky has acknowledged that the date was not meant to carry heavy symbolism; rather it simply fit the flow of the narrative in the song. The chorus lines mentioning bonfires and a yellow leaf painted an image that resonated with listeners, even as the surface meaning remained straightforward.
Recent notes about the era also tie in a broader tech and culture moment as new processor families enter the market, illustrating how public memory can blend music with contemporary tech chatter.
The birth of memes
The song first crossed into meme culture in 2011 when a photo of American rapper Rick Ross paired with a line from Shufutinsky’s chorus appeared across social networks. The juxtaposition sparked joking that two seemingly unrelated figures shared a similar vibe, and the memes multiplied quickly with image edits and playful captions. The meme truly took off in 2013, fueling ongoing creator activity and remixing across platforms.
As a result, a robust meme ecosystem formed around the song, with images and clips circulating widely and evolving over time. This momentum carried into a television project inspired by the track, expanding the reach of the original material beyond music into a broader cultural moment. Viewers encountered a narrative arc that echoed the meme’s playful energy across eight episodes, building anticipation about a possible second season. The presence of Shufutinsky in the project helped anchor the connection between the song and the meme phenomenon for many fans. The meme world has shown no signs of slowing down since then, continuing to adapt and surface in new contexts.
Have you remembered to turn the calendar over?
Note: this cultural thread demonstrates how a pop song can transcend its initial medium and become a recurring meme, influencing subsequent media and conversations.